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Friday, February 24, 2017

I hope you are having a good week! It is starting to feel like Spring already here, and I am loving that. I hope the cold weather has already gone for the year.Today one of Momma's blogging friends, Kaitlin, has stopped by for a visit. Kaitlin blogs at kedgotwed.com, a lifestyle and newlywed blog.Kaitlin has shared a very cute childhood photo of herself with Duffy, another beloved family dog.

Abby: Thanks for stopping by! What pet
would you like to remember at my blog today?

Kaitlin: Maggie - an adorable, black lab with the biggest heart! She was in my family for about 10 years!

Abby: What are some happy memories of your pet?

Kaitlin: When
we first brought Maggie home, she was a puppy and I was in 4th grade.
Her crate was in the laundry room, which was all the way across the
house from my bedroom. However, her first few nights with us, I would
wake up to her crying in the middle of the night. It absolutely broke my
heart to hear her crying! One night, I took my pillow and blanket into
the laundry room with her and fell asleep on the floor next to her
crate. When my parents woke up, they found Maggie and me fast asleep!!

Abby: Do you have any funny anecdotes?

Kaitlin: Maggie
was a HUGE goofball!! Every time we let her into the backyard, she
would get so excited and run in circles! Sometimes, she would even try
to climb the big pine tree (literally)!!

Abby: I enjoyed visiting with you today. Is there anything else about Molly you would like to share?

Kaitlin: I
give Maggie all of the credit for my love of dogs! She taught me that
dogs fill a place in your heart that humans can't...and that there's
nothing wrong with that! I know that Maggie is up in doggy heaven
climbing all of the pine trees! Haha!

Abby: Kaitlin, thank you so much for visiting! I loved hearing about Maggie. I can just picture her trying to climb a big pine tree!Friends, if you would like to leave a comment for Kaitlin you can do so in the messages below. If you are interested in sharing pet memories here, I would love to hear from you, too. (Please be sure to leave your email.)Thanks for your visit, and have a wonderful weekend!Love,Abby

Book SynopsisAn exquisite ring, passed down through generations, connects
two women who learn that love is a choice, and forgiveness is the key to
freedom…

San Francisco: 1876

Immigrant dressmakers Hannelore Schaeffer and Margaret O’Brien
struggle to provide food for their siblings, while mending delicate
clothing for the city’s most affluent ladies. When wealthy Lucas
Havensworth enters the shop, Hanna’s future is altered forever. With
Margaret’s encouragement and the power of a borrowed green dress, Hanna
dares to see herself as worthy of him. Then Margaret disappears, and
Hanna turns to Lucas. Braving the gritty streets of the Barbary Coast
and daring to enter the mansions of Nob Hill, Hanna stumbles upon
Margaret’s fate, forcing her to make a devastating decision…one that
will echo through the generations.

San Francisco: Present Day

In her elegant Marina apartment overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge,
Sarah Havensworth struggles to complete the novel she quit her job for.
Afraid to tell her husband of her writer’s block, Sarah is also hiding a
darker secret—one that has haunted her for 14 years. Then a news
headline from 1876 sparks inspiration: Missing Dressmakers Believed to be Murdered.
Compelled to discover what happened to Hannelore and Margaret, Sarah
returns to her roots as a journalist. Will her beautiful
heirloom engagement ring uncover a connection to Hanna Schaeffer?

Purchase Links

My ReviewThe Dressmaker's Dowry is the story of three women. In the present day, Sarah Havensworth is writing a historical novel set in old San Francisco. Her research leads her to a fascinating and troubling mystery from 1876, of two immigrant dressmakers, Hannelore Schaeffer and Margaret O’Brien, who disappeared. She becomes obsessed with their stories and wants to find answers.

The book deftly moves back and forth from the present day to 1876. Meredith Jaeger beautiful evokes another time and place with the 1870's San Francisco setting. Readers come to know Hannelore (Hanna) as she moves between a seamstress shop to a society mansion searching for her lost friend Margaret.The writing is beautiful with passages like:"Turning around, I looked back in the direction I'd come from . The street hummed with forgotten history. But was this truly a good idea? The walls of that old saloon held secrets. I'd held on to my own long enough to know what it felt like and that dredging up the past could often reveal something ugly" (p. 46).I truly loved everything about The Dressmaker's Dowry. The dual storylines were fascinating. The historical details intrigued me. I particularly loved the stories of Sarah, in the present day, and Hanna, in the 1870's. Their romantic stories, with Hunter (Sarah) and Lucas (Hanna) were just as interesting as the mysteries that propel this novel.I cannot recommend The Dressmaker's Dowry highly enough for other fans of historical fiction. It was a lovely read that I am sure I will want to re-read and experience again in the future. Five stars!

Author BioMeredith Jaeger was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area,
the daughter of a Swiss father and an American mother. While working for
a San Francisco start-up, Meredith fulfilled her dream of writing a
novel, the result of which was The Dressmaker,s Dowry. Meredith lives in Alameda with her husband, their infant daughter, and their bulldog.Find out more about Meredith at her website, and connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Barbara: Auggie
was our first dog and our love (some call it obsession) of dachshunds
started with him. He loved to walk when HE wanted to do so. But when
he didn't, my husband said it was like taking the family brick for a
walk. Auggie had the best singing voice. We would do our aroooos and
he would join in, only ten times louder. He would throw his head back
and sing to the skies. Auggie was very much the family protector and
never fell asleep at night until he went room to room and made sure
the family was safe and sound. Auggie was a special dog and he
touched my heart in such an incredible way.

Billy at the beach.

Billy
came to us at age 2 1/2. He had been a former show dog/breeding dog
that was looking for his forever family. Billy was the best
traveller. We took him with us all over southern Ontario while our
son participated in martial arts training and tournaments. Billy
loved the beach, but hated the water. He loved to walk in the sand,
but always stayed at least a foot or more from the water's edge. He
was incredibly loyal and loving and I miss him every day.

Abby: Do you have any funny anecdotes?

Barbara: Auggie
did not like it when I talked on the telephone. He often took the
opportunity to get into mischief in order to get the attention away
from my phone call. One day I was talking on the kitchen phone and he
came into the room with this long piece of foam in his mouth. My
first thought was that we didn't own anything like that. I ended my
call, took the foam from him and went to investigate. Sure enough,
there was a long tear in the base of the sofa and Auggie had managed
to remove the foam and bring the evidence right to me.

Puppy Auggie standing in front of the very sofa from which he removed the foam in the story.

Auggie
suffered from a serious bout of IVDD when he was about six years old.
He gained back about 85 % of his mobility, but was no longer able to
jump or support his weight on just his back legs. One day, in a hurry
and running late as usual, I set some grocery bags on the chair in
the living room. I went back out to the car to get the remainder of
the shopping. When I came back in the door, I heard some commotion
from the living room. I rounded the corner to find Auggie shaking a
bag of kielbasa sausage from the deli and eating it as it flew into
the air. One would never guess that this dog had an disability. And,
he clearly had managed to find a way to hoist his body onto the chair
to get the wonderfully smelling sandwich meat!

Billy in the bathtub.

Billy
was our most athletic dachshund. When we first brought him home, he
actually jumped a child gate that we had blocking off the bedroom
area. We realized then that Billy was likely to get into things that
we were not anticipating. His first Christmas with us we were hosting
the family for dinner. We had a small house and the extra table
brought it into the living room. I had set it with all of the non
perishable food items and condiments. I went to get something else
from the kitchen and I heard some noise coming from the dining area.
At the same time our guests we staring to arrive. I went to check on
the noise and found Billy happily investigating the pickle platter on
the dining room table. I am not sure how he jumped up on the table,
but I managed to remove the disgruntled dog just before the family
entered the room.

Billy enjoying a walk.

Billy
had an obsession with pinecones. Our neighbourhood had many trees
that gave him plenty to choose from. There was one in particular that
dropped long, skinny pinecones onto the sidewalk. Every time we
walked by that house, Billy spent a few minutes choosing one. He
carried it home with him and held it in his mouth until we traded it
for a biscuit. Whenever I see a pinecone on the ground I am reminded
of my beloved Billy.

Billy

Abby: I enjoyed visiting with you today. Is there anything
else about your pet you would like to share?

Barbara: Auggie was our very first dog, and he taught me so much about love and
the human-animal bond. When we lost him, I feared I could never love
another dog. But, then Billy bounded into our lives and brought with him
this amazing energy and spirit. He was looking for and needed a family.
He taught me that my heart is large and can hold a place for many pets
Our bond was different than the one I had with Auggie, but both are
special and the memories of each are to be treasured.

Auggie as part of a mural at Banks Animal Hospital in Toronto. During
the time I worked there an artist was commissioned to paint the mural.
She asked all staff to bring photos of pets, past & present. Auggie
had already left us, so I chose this photo as a remembrance of him.

Abby: Barbara, thank you so much for visiting! I really loved hearing more about Auggie and Billy. I can just imagine Auggie and his sofa adventure ... and Billy and the pickle platter! I also loved hearing about Billy and his pinecones. Those are some great stories. Their photos are beautiful too. Friends, if you would like to leave a comment or question for Barbara, you can do so in the comments section, below.

Also, if you would like to feature memories of your special pets here, please let me know. (Be sure to leave your email so I can reach you!)

Book SynopsisLady Julia Hazelton is the most dazzling among 1920s England’s bright
young things. But rather than choosing the thrill of wanton adventure
like so many of her contemporaries, Julia shocks society with her bold
business aspirations. Determined to usher the cursed Worthington estate
into a prosperous, modern new era, and thus preserve her beloved late
fiancé’s legacy, the willful Julia tackles her wildest, most unexpected
adventure in Cal Carstairs, the reluctant new Earl of Worthington.

The unconventional American artist threatens everything Julia seeks
to protect while stirring desires she thought had died in the war. For
reasons of his own, Cal has designed the ultimate revenge. Rather than
see the estate prosper, he intends to destroy it. But their impulsive
marriage—one that secures Julia’s plans as well as Cal’s secrets—proves
that passion is ambition’s greatest rival. Unless Cal ends his quest to
satisfy his darkest vendetta, he stands to ruin his Worthington wife and
all her glittering dreams.

Purchase Links

My ReviewThe Worthington Wife is a historical novel set in the 1920's. It tells the story of Julia Hazelton. Her fiance died tragically during World War I, and she wants to honor his legacy by saving and modernizing his family's estate. When Julia meets Cal Carstairs, an American artist who has inherited the estate, sparks fly. She is taken aback to learn he wants to destroy the estate because of some old family resentment. The novel explores their relationship, the estate, and the families (both upstairs and downstairs) that live there.

I was a big Downton Abbey fan and even blogged about the show regularly here. This novel is a fun treat for Downton Abbey fans. The book captures the 1920's well.

I really liked Julia as a protagonist. She is intelligent and kind, and wants to make a difference in people's lives. She wants to be more than just a lady of the manor. I also liked Cal, who enters a new world and finds many surprises. I loved the way their relationship develops in the book.

Althoughthis is primarily a historical romance, there is also a mystery involving some missing girls from the village, and it was compelling. It made me read a little quicker to find out what happened next.

The Worthington Wifewas a fun, light historical romance with an element of mystery. I enjoyed it!

Author BioNew York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author
Sharon Page is author of more than 20 books. Sharon has won two RT
Bookreviews Reviewers’ Choice Awards, two National Readers’ Choice
Awards, the Colorado Award of Romance, and the Golden Quill.

The mother of two children and wife of a terrifically supportive
husband, Sharon has a degree in Industrial Design and worked in
structural engineering before fulfilling her dream of becoming an
author.Giveaway$25 Gift Card (ends 2/24).a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, February 10, 2017

Dear Friends,Happy Friday! I hear that it is going to be Valentine's Day, the day of love, in a few days. (This is, of course, one of my favorite holidays since I am all about love!)I thought you might enjoy a few vintage Dachshund Valentines today. These are all old fashioned cards that children exchanged on Valentine's Day.

A little girl paints a special card while her Dachshund helps by holding a brush:

"Dog-gone it! I sure would like to be-long to you! Be My Valentine!"

A Dachshund shares a Valentine with a great big dog friend: "Over you I'm simply dippy - ask me and I'll answer YIPPY!"

This Dachshund wears a red sweater and hat - and carries a heart. "I long to see you. Dog-gone it!"

This little Dachshund went to school with a little girl. "For My Teacher - I Like You."

This Dachshund is surrounded by hearts. "I LONG for you to be mine!"

"Doggone right - you're my Valentine!" Now this is a very TALL Dachshund.

I hope you enjoyed seeing these vintage Valentines! I also hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day! I'll be back next week with some special pet memories!Love,Abby xoxoxo

A lover of all things green, CeCe
Prentice is not impressed when a fully-sustainable development, Green
Acres, pops up next to her family’s homestead. It’s not so much the
ridiculous price tag of the million dollar homes built entirely from
re-usable materials and powered by the sun, but rather the new neighbors
who think they can simply buy a green lifestyle.

To make matters worse, one homeowner turns out to be CeCe’s high school
nemesis, Phoebe Purcell, a hair-tossing vamp who tried to break up CeCe
and her long-time boyfriend, Charlie.

Already disillusioned by the so-called
eco-friendly development, CeCe’s family home is threatened when a series
of power-outages at Green Acres kicks off a rash of home invasions.
When neighbors start showing up dead, the mood at Green Acres turns
south. But when Charlie, CeCe’s on-again, off-again love interest is
implicated in the murders, CeCe springs into action when she discovers
the only clue – a portrait she painted years ago.

My Review The Drawing Game is the third book in the mystery series A Sketch in Crime. The first two books are Drawing Conclusions and Drawing Blood.

CeCe Prentice becomes involved in a mystery when a series of home invasions crop up in the eco-friendly neighborhood near her family home. When her ex-boyfriend, Charlie, is implicated in the murder, she steps in to try to solve the mystery.

This is a really interesting mystery with lots of twists and turns! It is well written with a brisk pace and lots of interesting characters.CeCe
is a very unique protagonist. She is into eco-friendliness to the
extent of being a Freegan. I had never heard of Freegans before reading
this mystery, but they believe that you should only use things you can
find or re-purpose for free.

I enjoyed The Drawing Game and recommend the series to other fans of cozy mysteries.

Author Bio

Deirdre Verne is the author of Drawing Conclusions (2015), Drawing Blood
(Feb 2016) and The Drawing Game (Dec 2017). Deirdre’s interest in green
living inspired her to create an off-the-grid character, CeCe Prentice,
who Dumpster dives her way through the Sketch in Crime mystery series. “Verne’s mystery is a winner…” Kirkus Reviews. A member of Sisters in Crime, Deirdre’s stories appear in all three NY chapter anthologies – Murder New York Style, Murder New York Style: Fresh Slices and Family Matters.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Summer’s sizzling in Vista Beach, the
home of computer programmer and tole-painting enthusiast Aurora (Rory)
Anderson. The abnormally high temperatures are hard on everyone in the
quiet Los Angeles county beach community, especially the city’s homeless
population. Residents are doing everything they can to stay cool,
including leaving windows open to catch the faintest breeze. Not the
best idea when a string of burglaries is plaguing nearby towns.

Still, Rory doesn’t expect to find her
neighbor’s body just a few doors down. When suspicion falls on a friend
and fellow painter, Rory must discover the truth before the police paint
the wrong picture and send her friend away permanently.

Author Bio

Sybil Johnson’s love affair with reading began in kindergarten with “The
Three Little Pigs.” Visits to the library introduced her to
Encyclopedia Brown, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle and a host of other characters.
Fast forward to college where she continued reading while studying
Computer Science. After a rewarding career in the computer industry,
Sybil decided to try her hand at writing mysteries. Her short fiction
has appeared in Mysterical-E and Spinetingler Magazine, among others.
Originally from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in Southern
California where she enjoys tole painting, studying ancient languages
and spending time with friends and family.

Friday, February 3, 2017

I hope you are having a wonderful week! Today my friend Jennifer has stopped by to visit and to remember some special dachshunds. Jennifer is a friend of my Momma from a wonderful dachshund group, and she has some very special doxie memories. She visited before with her dachshund Stevie May Allen: click here to read Stevie's story.

Abby: Thanks for stopping by! What pets would you like to
remember at my blog today?

Jennifer: Hi, Abby! It's always wonderful to talk with
you. Today, I'd like to remember four very special dachshunds, Bitsy,
Punkin, Maxie and Talley.

Bitsy

Bitsy -- 1987-1997

Bitsy was a fiesty, wonderful little girl, whose
health problems took an early toll on her life. She was a diabetic and was
absolutely inseparable with my mother. They truly were soulmates. I
always wondered why Bitsy left us so early in her life, but just a year or so
later, my mother unexpectedly and suddenly passed away. I believe Bitsy
knew and chose to leave us early so that she would be there to greet my mother
when that fatal day arrived. We got Bitsy and Punkin (who shared the same
birthday) at the same time, and there always was an uneasy peace between the
two. Punkin loved to devil Bitsy, who was a very prim and proper lady and
who always perked up noticeably whenever French was being spoken on
television. Mother always called Bitsy her "little
mademoiselle."

Punkin

Punkin -- 1987-2002

Punkin was a live wire whose favorite thing was to
go to Sonic and have a root beer float. She would plunge her head into the
cup and not come up until at least half of the treat was gone. Her face
would be covered in foam, her eyes literally were almost crossed with culinary
ecstasy and she would only pause a moment to take a breath before diving her
head back in to gulp down the rest of the root beer float.

Maxie

Maxie -- 1997-2010

Maxie came to me as a rescue and had been terribly
mistreated -- so mistreated that as her body was shutting down to die, she lost
almost all her hair. In spite of treatment from medical professionals in
Georgia and Ohio, she never fully recovered or regained her hair, but she was as
healthy and happy as good veterinary care and I could make her. She
was 7 when I adopted her, and I promised her I would give her at least as many
good years as she had endured with her abuser. Thankfully, Miss Maxie
lived almost 8 years and was able to know real love and care. She and
Talley had an uneasy peace, but near the end of their lives, they came to at
least appreciate each other.

Talley

Talley -- 1997-2012

Talley was a very special girl, who was with me
during some of the darkest times of my life. She truly was my lifeline,
the only reason I got up each morning and was the rock of my existence.
When Punkin passed away, Talley became an "only child" for a year or two, and
she quickly became the supportive, patient, loving soul that I needed. I
always told her that she really wasn't a dachshund, but was a
psychotherapist. I will always be grateful to her for bringing me back to
the daylight from a dark time.

There were two other special dog friends in my
early life. My father gave Miss Petey, a miniature pinscher, to me for my
ninth birthday. A month to the day later, he passed away. Petey was
always a reminder that his spirit would always be with me. She lived to be
almost 19. Several years later, my mother and I adopted Pepper, our first
dachshund. She was a wonderful girl and lived to be almost 11 years
old.

Abby: I enjoyed visiting with you today. Is there anything
else about your doxies you would like to share?

Jennifer: Today, I have Tookie, Miss Stevie and Trixie, all
dachshunds, who are creating their own special memories with me. I am so
very, very thankful for my canine friends as they are the only family I have (my
mother was my last living human relative). Dogs truly are gifts from
heaven.

Abby: Jennifer, thank you for visiting and sharing Bitsy, Punkin, Maxie, and Talley's stories. I loved reading about them and seeing their beautiful pictures! I especially loved reading about Punkin drinking root beer floats! Those sound delicious. My Momma agrees with you that dogs are gifts from heaven. I like that sentiment as well.

Friends, if you would like to leave a message for Jennifer, you can do so in the comments below. Please also let me know if you would like to visit to remember your special dogs or cats in a future blog post here.

About Me

Trish is a long-time online seller who loves all things vintage, but especially vintage children's books and ephemera. In other lives, worked as a bookstore manager and preschool teacher. Always pursuing vintage treasures, great reads, interesting words, and happiness.